A COMPARATIVE ETHNOLINGUISTIC STUDY OF MONGOLIAN AND INUIT LANGUAGES

Abstract

This article presents a comparative ethno-sociolinguistic analysis of the Mongolian and Inuit languages, examining how linguistic structures, oral traditions, and cultural narratives encode and transmit cultural and spiritual worldviews. Anchored in both American and Soviet-Russian ethnolinguistic frameworks, the study investigates the role of language as a repository of cultural identity and a reflection of environmental adaptation. Inuit languages, characterized by polysynthetic morphology and rooted in animistic and shamanistic traditions, demonstrate a linguistic embodiment of ecological interdependence. In contrast, Mongolian, an Altaic agglutinative language shaped by nomadic life and a syncretic spiritual heritage combining shamanism and Tibetan Buddhism, reveals a lexicon and grammatical system reflective of social and cosmological values. Despite distinct geographic and cultural contexts, both languages exhibit structural and functional parallels that underscore the interrelation of language, environment, and belief systems. The article highlights the urgent need for comprehensive documentation and revitalization in the face of linguistic endangerment, arguing that language preservation is essential for maintaining epistemological diversity and cultural continuity. The findings contribute to broader discourses on language policy, sociolinguistics, and cultural heritage preservation.